Upholstering machine



May 29, 1951 A. SHIFRIN UPHOLSTERING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 om mm Filed June 18, 1949 INVENTOR. ALBERT SH/FR/N aywgmw.

ATTORNEY y 1951 A. SHlFRlN 2,554,961

UPHOLSTERING MACHINE Filed June '18, 1949 e Sheets-Sheet 2 i Fi /6.3.

INVENTOR.

=" ALBERT SH/FR/N BY ATTOR EY May 29, 1951 A. SHIFRIN UPHDLSIERING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 18, 1949 INVENTOR. AL BERT .SH/FR/N Patented May 29, I951 'UNITED STATES PTQNT OFFICE UPHOLSTERING MACHINE Albert Shifrin, Baltimore, Md.

Application June l8, 1949, Serial No, 99,935

8 Claims. 01. 45138) This invention relates to the making of upholstery and tufted materials for cushions, sofas, and the like and particularly to a machine for doing this kind of work.

The conventional method of manufacturing upholstery is by hand methods that are laborious, require considerable skill and experience, and cannot be done with a high degree of uniformity and accuracy. Further the wear and tear on the material required by the hand methods is considerable, and is roughly estimated to be equivalent to several days ordinary usage, be-

cause of the necessary handling, pulling and pushing over surfaces or tables, which is in ex-- cess of that required in the manufacture of an upholstered article in this invention. Further such handling is more or less inconvenient, and where it involves the placement of the unfinished materials on the hands and'knees of the worker-sometimes having to be augmented by Weights and other extraneous articles, requires considerable manipulation in front of him, that makes the Work dinicult and physically laborious to him. When the partly finished cushion or upholstery is compressed, it is accomplished manually, and varies with the skill, strength and weight of the worker. Further the hair packing or its equivalent is hard to fix in the article by hand, and when it comes to placing the buttons at the bottom of the depressions in the upholstery, further difiiculty is experienced in their attachment. Other difficulties and inconveniences arise in this manual operational practice, well known to those in this art, and are not men tioned specifically since those already stated are illustrative of the conditions in general.

In this invention, a machine is used that enables the work of forming cushions and padded upholstery to be accomplished in a relatively small proportion of the labor time required by the manual process. More specifically, a specified part of the work that would take five hours by a skilled and experienced workman will be performed on the machine, under the operation of the machine by an operator of mediocre training and experience, in about one tenth of an hour, and the physical effort required of the operators would be on a similar proportion. The machine itself consists of a frame having stationary and rotatable sections on which decks are mounted and made rigid, solid or moveable as may be required. These decks are provided with means that arrange for the attachment of the buttons, as well as facilitate the placement and packing of the padding, and readily adjust the pattern of the upholstery within an extensive field of designs. All this is done with ease and convenience, in a very expeditious manner. To make the positioning of the materials used for developing the upholstery to a finished condition, the frame is made capable of changing the position of a selected deck to an angular plane and outside of the main part of the frame so it will permit access to the upper or lower surfaces of the upholstery in a convenient manner. In other words it eliminates the necessity for the worker to bend over unduly during the assembling. The

machine includes an effective pressure mechanism that avoids less effective manual pressure on the upholstery during the packing of the padding, the spreadin of the covering over it, and the buttoning work.

It is therefore an object of this, invention, to provide a new and improved upholstery making and tufting machine, that will avoid one or more of the disadvantages and limitations of the prior art.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved upholstery machine that will include mechanism for assembling the materials employed for this purpose in a convenient and effective manner, that the upholstery being made will be completed expeditiously and artistically.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved upholstery machine that will enable the materials employed in upholstery and tufting to be laid out in an extensive series of designs to suit any particular requirements, and at the same time permit the operator to connect the buttons required in a facile manner that is labor and time saving.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a new and improved upholstery machine that will perform the functions of compressing the packing, arranging the packing effectively without interfering with the operations of assembling the upholstery that follow.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved upholstery machine that will enable the various details of the work of upholstering to be done, expeditiously, workmanlike, with limited handling, and with a minimum of labor. Also to provide in such a machine,

tion, to cooperate and coordinate with the differ ent structures of the machine, so as to be replaceable in quantity or type as may be required in the work of upholstering, without interfering or changing the main structure of the machine.

For a clearer comprehension of the invention, its objects and the principles thereof reference is made to the accompanying drawings. These drawings, in conjunction with the following description, outline a particular form of the invention by way of example. And in connection with these drawings, the supporting claims herewith appended indicate the general scope of the invention.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of an upholstery machine embodying this invention;

Figure 2 is a side view of the machine shown in Figure l;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the drive mechanism taken along line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the lower journal platform drive mechanism taken along line 44 of Figure 1;

' Figure 5 is a plan view of the spike deck taken along line 55 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a plan view of the make-up taken along line 66 of Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken through the machine along line 7-1 of Figure 1;

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken through the gripper on the compression deck;

Figure 9 is a sectional detail through the gripper and spike mounted on the spike deck;

Figure 10 is a plan view of Figure 9;

Figure 11 is a detail partly in section of a packing spool;

Figure 12 is a detail in elevation and partly in section of a thimble used on the spike;

Figure 13 is a sectional detail showing the compression deck forcing the upholstery materials into buttom'ng position;

Figure 14 is a sectional detail with the upholstery buttoned;

Figure 15 is a sectional view through the machine during the process of packing the filling material around the spools on the make-up deck;

Figure 16 is a sectional detail of the rails used on the make-up deck for pinning undercloth into position;

Figure 17 is a sectional view taken through the hand bolts;

Figure 18 is a partial elevation looking sidewise at the machine while the spike deck with spikes and thimbles adjacent make-up deck and passing through the upholstering materials and making ready for the lowering of the compression deck;

Figure 19 is a side elevation partly in section with the tilting deck in tilted position; and

Figure 20 is a side elevation of a needle with button cotter placed therein ready for fastening the upholstery materials together.

Similar reference characters relate to the same parts throughout the drawings.

In the particular construction of the invention shown herein, there is a floor frame In arranged to hold the stationary portion of an upholstery machine and be attached to the floor of a building in which it is to be employed. This frame 10 serves as a support for a tilting frame ll journalled at l3 to a pair of cross-arms l2 transversely arranged on the upper level of the floor frame III. The stub shafts M are extended from somewhat similar cross-arms I 5 on the tilting frame H. The locus of suspension for the tilting frame on the floor frame is off center and preferably towards the rear of the machine, in order that the tilting of the frame I I will prevent any portion of the tilting frame from causing interference with other portions of the machine, (especially elements mounted in the floor frame), when the frame II is rotated through the maximum travel accorded it. This travel is about 45, and its purpose is to allow the operato to work on the upholstery manually during any part of its tilting, in a convenient manner or position. The tilting frame is provided with resilient U- formed catches IS on each of its cross-arms 15 that engage with the cross-arms l2 and clamp thereon when the frame II is upright. The catches l6 are resiliently opened up by the extra pull used when the tilting frame is started to a tilting position. The tilting movements are given to the frame I l, by mechanism I1 mounted on a bracket attached to the frame I9 either through a motor I8 or manually by handles fastened to the pulleys of the mechanism. A cable 20 is attached' to the frame II at one end and loaded with a weight 2| working over a pulley 22 mounted on an adjacent structure 23, so that the tilting frame will be balanced at all points of travel, to

facilitate its movement from normal to tilting position.

Floor frame The floor frame H1 is preferably of a rectangular arrangement of bed-like form, in which the posts 24 are provided at four corners and arranged with fianges 25 for enabling them to be fastened to the ground, by bolts or otherwise. The frame I0 is necessarily rigidly set on the floor to prevent it from being upset by unbalanced loading on it, due to the weight of the upholstery or the positioning of the tilting frame at various angles. It is stiffened by the cross-arms l2. Also struts 21 extending longitudinally between the posts 24, close to the floor, serve to support foundation or platform plates 28, on which journals 29 are mounted. The journals serve as bearings for a shaft 30 longitudinally set in the frame ID. This shaft 30 has a mechanism or train of gears 3| coupled to it to operate it rotatably either manually by handle l9 attached to pulleys 32 and 33 or a motor 18, and belts 36 and 51. The motor is fastened to the platform 28 at a convenient location. A pair of spur gears 34 keyed to the shaft 3|! engage in the teeth of vertical racks 35 during their rotation to either raise or lower them. The racks 35 are attached at the upper ends to the framework of a spike deck 31, which is raised and lowered with them during their reciprocation.

The spike deck The spike deck 31 is an auxiliary framework mounted on and operated within the floor frame II]. It is a rectangular platform with corner tubing guides 38 integrally formed on it. These guides 38 slide along the posts 24 as the deck is raised and lowered and keep it steady in its movement and use. The limits of its travel is the distance between the platform 28 underneath and the angle irons 26 over it. The framework of the spike deck consists of angle-irons 39 on all sides. However the longitudinal angle irons 39 are perforated to provide many closely spaced holes 40 throughout their length. A number of channel bars 4| with their webs downwardly positioned are fastened to the angle-irons 39 at their end portions by bolts 42 and held rigidly transversely across the deck in a specified arrangement The channel bars ll in addition are drilled at many predetermined spacings toenable gripper couplings lit to be inserted and.

located. therein. These couplings. are similar to to hold the tubing clamped securely when the nuts are tightened down on the threaded shell 6 The gripper couplings 4-3 are inserted in the holes 89 in the channel bars All which hold the unthreaded nipple 4'! when the nut 91 is tightened on gripper 43'. The interior of the un' threaded nipple is preferably filled with plastic" 4'8 or other suitable substance,- to hold in each, a long pointed spike 50 extending vertically up from the deck 31 towards a make-up deck 49 which is framed on the angle irons 26 at the bottom of the: tilting frame H. The grippers are arranged to hold the spikes in many designs and spacings to meet the requirements of buttoning upholstery.

The make-up deck The make-up deck 49 includes the angle-irons 26 and in addition transverse slats 5i. loosely laid thereon. These slats are flat bars thick pins 54 project vertically up from under rails 55, secured under the angle irons, through which the pins project so they will insert themselves into the side rails 52 while holding the burlap, so the latter cannot slide off but will be kept taut thereon. Nuts 56 are used to tighten the rails together on the burlap as they are screwed down on nipples 41 attached to the under rails 55. The slats may be of wood or may be of iron magnetized to be attracted to the angle irons 26 to prevent undue slippage during handlin although not obstructing normal positioning of the slats thereon.- The slats are placed so that the spikes used will miss and pass between them when raised. They are below the level of the side rails by an amount equal to their thickness.

The use of the make-up deck When a, piece of burlap 53 or undercloth is spread, across the make-up deck 49 and held stretched by the pins 41 and 54 it is about an inch above the top surfaces of the slats 5|. However pressing on the burlap stretches the burlap so it Will lay out approximately flat in the middle and rest on the slats and have an elastic action. When so stretched, the operator takes as many spools 58, (which incidently are about the same diameter as the nipples 4'!) as needed and places them about the spikes 50. The spools 58 are cylinders preferably of wood with a central axial passage 59 in which the spikes are disposed, and long enough to surround the spikes for their projecting length. The spools serve as protectors over the spikes to prevent injury to the operator, and also as packingposts for compacting the filling 60 around 6 them. The operator pushes in the or' other filler used, with his hands and presses it all around the spool so it will not be loosely spread out. When this is done the filler is tight around the spool, so that, as the spool is removed, it will hold its form and has a space or vortex in it where the spool was. Then usually a cotton pad (it is placed on the filler. When all this packing and padding is done, an upholstery material 62 forming the finished covering is marked with chalk or other markin materials. to designate the locations where the buttons are to be fastened on the pad 6|. The operator knows from experience or training just where the spacings for the buttons should be for the design being used for the upholstery, and after they are marked, he notes that the locations correspond with the spikes intended for each location. The spacings on the cover may he 1 /2 more between centers than that of the spikes corresponding parently loose material between the spikes. This material is taken up during the process of completing the upholstery or tufting because the buttons cause depressions that curve the covering 62 into funnel-like valleys that absorb it.

However at the point arrived at in the process described above, the spikes project through the loose upholstery material 62 and are s'urmounted by bluntly; pointed cylindrical thimbles 63 of wood or othersuitable material to cover the points of the spikes. The thimbles 63 also serve as guides of substantial calibre tobe used with the reciprocating compression deck 64 mounted on the tilting frame II.

The compression deck The compression deck 64, is a movable platform reciprocating on the four corner posts 65, of the tilting frame fl. encompass the posts and are guided vertically up and down same when the tilting frame is in its normal vertical position. The deck has angle-iron sides 61 longitudinally on which are inverted cross channels 68 in predetermined spacing fastened thereto by bolts. Gripper couplings 'Hlsimilar to those used on the spike deck are installed on the channels 68 and the gripper couplings 10 and spikes 50 are aligned with each other. The grippers 10 hold small pieces of unthreaded tubing termed sleeves H, and pointed vertically down under the compression deck. There is a sleeve Tl for every spike and in line with it, so that the raising of the spike deck or lowering of the compression deck will allow the spikes 50 to enter their respective sleeves II. The thimbles 63 on these spikes also pass through the sleeves, and project above the grippers 10. 63, exposes the pointed ends of the spikes which are then lowered so the sleeves II will be ready to receive the needles l3 and button cotters at the time of splicing the upholstery cover and burlap together.

The compression deck 64, has U-formed bars 14 holding it adjacent the corner sleeves 66 in rigid attachment. These bars T4 are connected by gear racks 15 reciprocated by pinions 16 keyed to a longitudinally disposed shaft 11. The shaft I1 is supported in a bearing plate 81 attached to posts 65 and bearings 18 mounted on foundation plates 19 transversely secured to the upper struts longitudinally disposed on the tilting frame I I.

Its corner sleeves (it The removal of the thimbles message-c1 95, and supports pulleys 32 and 33. The clutch 96 is slidably keyed to the shaft 94 and frictionally contacts pulleys 32 and-33 when the shifter 92 is used to raise or lower the spike deck 31 and compression deck 84.

Operation W The operation of the machine willclarify the functions of each part and'the structural re quirementsinvolved in their construction.

-The machine is placed in normal position,- as indicated in Figures 1 and 2, with the tilting frame ll upright and its catches l6 locked on to the cross-arms l5. The decks 31 and 64 are moved to the lower and upper termini of their respective travels. This leaves plenty of room for the operator to spread the burlap or undercloth 53, over the make-up deck 49 and have its longitudinal edge portions engaged by the pins 55 and 41 and side rails 52 so it will be tightly stretched. The side rails are clamped by tightening on the hand nuts 56 that hold the assembly together. When this is accomplished, the operator makes ready for the next step. The operator sets the pattern-for the buttoning of the uphol-- stery. This consists in the arrangement of the spikes'and their holders in the grippers 43 according to the selected pattern. The number of spikes used and spacing thereof determines this pattern. The mechanism 3| is actuated by the motor 8 to raisethe spike deck 31 until the spikes '59 pierce the undercloth 53 and pass through it up to theirhilts. The slats before this time have been shifted by hand to avoid the spikes as they are brought up, but still afford a suppo'rt'under the burlap when needed.

The spools 58 are then slipped over the spikes and rested on top of the under-cover 53 and pressed down to bring the burlap against the slats. Then while the spools are in place the operator takes the filling, hair, 60 or whatever is to be used and packed or tamped around the spools to form a cushioning medium for the upholstery. The operator then adds a padding of cotton Blor the like, over the packed filling and presses it down firmly. In pressing this pad down on the filling, the operator tears it where necessary to provide a hole in it that will enable".

the pad to slide down over the spools. The slats 3| support theunder-cloth 53 while ,this is beingdone.

The spools are removed from the spikesand' 63 the bottom side of which presses againstthe' cloth 62 to hold it against jumping off the spikes.

The compression deck 64 is then moved down wardly through the use of its mechanism 80, and shifter 92, racks l5 and gears 16, until itStubular sleeves 12' are brought over andon the The -thi'r'nbles pass through" the thimbles 63.

sleevesand" project above the grippers 10.." At: the same'time,'the sleeves 12" engage against the holders of thespikes and clamp the cloth 62' pad BI and undercloth 53 between them, so that, further compression forces the cloth 62 at the spikes into funnel-like depressions and forms the hollowed 'or curved contour of a cushion wul qith the filling smoothing out the surface. the compression is considered sufiicient by the operator,- he stops the compression deck 64 in that position, and lowers away the spike deck 3'! so its spikes are retracted to the lower level the machine out of the way.

After this, the operator causes the tilting mech anism to angularly slant the tilting frame H to a position of about 45 and stops it there, or it will stop itself due to the limiting stops from the spikes 50 and puts them aside. a button cotter 85, of the form shown in Figure 20; and inserts it in the recess 86 of a needle 13 at its butt end until it is enclosed therein, all

except the button 81 itself. The pointed end 88 of the needle is passed through the open space space 92 in the sleeves H and through the semi-' formed upholstery, until the button head 81 is tight against the covering 62. The needle is continued through the upholstery at the back or cloth 53, and removed leaving the cotter portion of 'exposed. The operator then opens the arms of the cotter and presses then flat against the cloth 53 or against a thin washer slipped over the cotter-for the purpose, so the button cotter 85 will be' fastened in place and that portion of the upholstery secured at the butnot cause interference between it and the spikes 58 and cause damage.

The term button cotter is intended to be generic-to any fasteners susceptible for use to hold the covers and materials of the upholstery assembly together, and not simply the item indicated in the drawings. The slats 53 do not fall oil the layout or make-up deck during the tilting because of the magnetic action as well as the longitudinal strips provided for the purpose to retain them in place. There is no general limitinferred'to the type of mechanisms used for moving the decks and the tilting frame, and other arrangements well known just as effective could be utilized; and for the purpose of embracing them, the terms used as mechanisms or means in regard thereto are intended. to. include them. Likewise the use of the terms burlap, hair, filling and padding while ordinarily designating a specified material is intended to include other fabrics and materials, whether natural or artificial, pro

vided they are usable for the same purpose. The

terms upholstery and tufting are intended to in clude stuffed products in their various forms.

While but one general form of the invention is shown in the drawings and described in the. specifications, it is not desired to limit this application for patent to this particular form, as it is appreciated that other forms of construc-.

tion could be made that would use the same principles and come within the scope of the appended.

claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1 1. An upholsterymachine comprisingin com.-'

bination, a frame, a spike deck movably mounted He then takes.

mined sna -e th'er tening of the be orf for operating the movable ad:- on the materials ji'rstab-ly holding piercing or divers d i H (romanc with are selection ime therefor, ha e means mountable oh the compression deck aligntime with the layout or the spike 1 ign on t e spike deck, wherebythe's'pikes willregister thefeint/hen brought adjacent the assembled materials and enable the sleeve to press the mater 1s afoiin'd the spikes into predetermined depressions to forni alhollovvpr curved form to the emetery and hold same there until the buttons are fastened thereto. H v

, 2 A h i fie hiee qompr s s in c m bination, a frame, a spike deck movably mounted on said frame, allayouti deck mounted on said frame and" adapted for the placement of uphol. stery' materials thereon foryassembly, piercing m ans on' said spike deck located thereon in a predetermined design, and held so theintravel' the spike deck will cause said' means to pieree the'rnaterial for facilitating the lace ment of cotter buttons therethrough, for binding the materials together inpre'determined assembly, spool means mountable on the piercing means and encompassing same to reinstate the packing of filling 'materials' thereaboiit; easiest: ing a passage therein when'sa-icl's'poolsans removed that'the placement of the} cotter me willbe unobstructed, a compressior'ideok on frame movably disposed were i 1 to reciprocate to and frenr th' v i pressing on said assembled mate"'alsflto form a; predeterrriiriedshape thereto to b'ef retairied' by the astening of the bijitt h cotters" ther mechanisms for operating the" movab' s Wherebytheyact ori'tlie'materials'ais afo sa d, means; for adjustably' naming the spikes tcs'jp v'ide for the" piercing of ivers d v v materialsin aceordancewith" the selec ion made" therefor; sleeve means mountable on the at r'es'siori deck alignable" with the" layout of spike" designon the spike deck by spikes will reg-ister therein'vth'en brou ht ad cent" the assembledmaterials and e able.

h s rec wer .aera e;sepa ate facilitate accessto' thel'ay'out deck by the operasateen 10 tel Working thereon to cemplet'e the making of 'si-if'd upholstery;

3. An upholstery machine comprising in combination; a frame, a spike deck movably mounted on said frame; a layout deck mounted on said frame and adapted fer the placement of upholstery materials thereon for assembly; piercing means on said spike deck located thereon in a predetermined design-, and held so their travel with the spike deck will cause said means to ierce the material for facilitating the placement of cotter buttons therethrdugh, for binding the materials together .in' predetermined assembly; spool means mountable on the piercing means and encom assing same to facilitate the packing of filling materials thereabout; and leaving a passage therein when said spool iiie'ans is removed that the placement or the cotter means will be unobstructed; a compression deck on said frame movably disposed thereon and arranged to reciprocat'e to and "from the layout deck for pressing on said assembled materials" to form a predetermined shape thereto to be retained by the fastening of the button cotters thereto, mechanisms for operating the movable decks whereby they act on.the' materials as aforesaid, means for adjustably holding the spikes to provide for the piercing of divers designs in the materials in accordance with the selection made therefor, sleeve means mountable on'the compression deck alignable with the layout .of the spike design on the spike. deck, whereby the spikes will register therein when brought adjacent the assembled mate rials and enablewther sleeve means to press the materials around the spikes into predetermined depressions to form a hollow or curved form to the" upholstery andh'old same there until the buttons. are fastened; thereto; said frame being in sections, one being movable" on" the other while the latter is stationary to facilitate access to the layout deck by the operator working thereon to complete the making of said upholstery, -said movable section being arranged to take a tilting position that said operator can Work thereon in an .upright position.

.4. An upholstery machine comprising in com-r biriation; a frame,- a spike deck movably mounted on said frame, a layout. ide'c'k mounted on said frame and' adapted for the placement of upholster'y materials thereon for assembly, piercing means: on said spike deck located thereon in a predetermined design, and held so their travel with the spike deck will cause said means to' pierce the material for facilitating the placement of cotter buttons" therethrou'gh, for' binding the materials together innpredetermine'd assembly; spool means mountable onfth'epierc'ih'g' means and encompassing same'to facilitate the packing of filling materials threa-bout; and leaving a passage therein when said spool means is" removed that: me placement of" the cotter means will-"be unobstructed,acompression deck on said framemovably disposed thereon and arranged to reciprocate to and" from the layout deck for pressing on said assembledmaterials toform a predetermined shape: thereto" to" be retained by the fastening. of the butt'c'in" cotters thereto,

mechanisms for operating the movabledeeks" whereby they act on' the materials as aforesaid; means for, adjustably holding the spikes'to pro"-' 'vide for the piercing of divers designs in the materialsin accordance with the selection made therefor, sleeve means mountable on the com Dression dec k alignable withflthe layout of the spike design on the spike deck; whereby the spikes will register therein when brought adjacent the assembled materials and enable the sleeve means to press the materials around the spikes into predetermined depressions to form a hollow or curved form to the upholstery and hold same there until the buttons are fastened thereto, said frame being in sections, one being movable on the other while the latter is stationary to facilitate access to the layout deck by the operator working thereon tocomplete the making of said upholstery, said movable section being arranged to take a tilting position that said operator can work thereon in an upright position, and thimbles placeable on the spikes for facilitatin the entry of the spikes in the sleeve means when the compression and layout decks are brought adjacent each other.

5. An upholstery machine comprising in combination, a frame, a spike deck movably mounted on said frame, a layout deck mounted on said frame and adapted for the placement of upholstery materials thereon for assembly, piercing means on said spike deck located thereon in a predetermined design, and held so their travel with the spike deck will cause said means to pierce the material for facilitating the placement of cotter buttons therethrough, for binding the materials together in predetermined assembly, spool means mountable on the piercing means and encompassing same to facilitate the packing of filling materials thereabout, and leaving a passage therein when said spool means is removed that the placement of the cotter means will be unobstructed, a compression deck on said frame movably disposed thereon and arranged to reciprocate to and from the layout deck for pressing on said assembled materials to form a predetermined shape thereto to be retained by the fastening of the button cotters thereto, mechanisms for operating the movable decks whereby they act on the materials as aforesaid, means for adjustably holding the spikes to provide for the piercing of divers designs in the materials in accordance with the selection made therefor, sleeve means mountable on the compression deck alignable with the layout of the spike design on the spike deck, whereby the spikes will register therein when brought adjacent the assembled materials and enable the sleeve means to press the materials around the spikes into predetermined depressions to form a hollow or curved form to the upholstery and hold same there until the buttons are fastened thereto, said frame being in sections, one being movable on the other while the latter is stationary to facilitate access to the layout deck by the operator working thereon to complete the making of said upholstery, said movable section being arranged to take a tilting position that said operator can work thereon in an upright position, thimbles placeable on the spikes for facilitating the entry of the spikes in the sleeve means when the compression and layout decks are brought adjacent each other, and needle means for facilitating the placement of the button cotters in the assembly just prior to fastening.

6. An upholstery machine comprising in combination, a frame, a spike deck movably mounted on said frame, a layout deck mounted on said frame and adapted for the placement of upholstery materials thereon for assembly, piercing means on said spike deck located thereon in a predetermined design, and held so their travel with the spike deck will cause said means to pierce the material for facilitating the placement of cotter buttons therethrough, for binding the materials together in predetermined assembly, spool means mountable on the piercing means and encompassing same to facilitate the packing of filling materials thereabout, and leaving a passage therein when said spool means is removed that the placement of the cotter means will be unobstructed, a compression deck on said frame movably disposed thereon and arranged to reciprocate to and from the layout deck for pressing on said assembled materials to form a predetermined shape thereto to be retained by the fastening of the button cotters thereto, mechanisms for operating the movable decks whereby they act on the materials as aforesaid, means for adjustably holding the spikes to provide for the piercing of divers designs in the materials in accordance with the selection made therefor, sleeve means mountable on the compression deck alignable with the layout of the spike design on the spike deck, whereby the spikes will register therein when brought adjacent the assembled materials and enable the sleeve means to press the materials around the spikes into predetermined depressions to form a hollow or curved form to the upholstery and hold same there until the buttons are fastened thereto, said frame being in sections, one being movable on the other while the latter is stationary to facilitate access to the layout deck by the operator working thereon to complete the making of said upholstery, said movable section being arranged to take a tilting position that said operator can work thereon in an upright position, thimbles placeable on the spikes for facilitating the entry of the spikes in the sleeve means when the compression and layout decks are brought adjacent each other, needle means for facilitating the placement of the button cotters in the assembly just prior to fastening, and mechanisms for causing said tilting and arranged to position the compression deck and layout deck off center on another section of the frame supporting it, whereby the tilting may be induced without bringing positions of its structure into interference with portions of the spike deck.

7. An upholstery machine comprising in combination, a frame, a spike deck movably mounted on said frame, a layout deck mounted on said frame and adapted for the placement of upholstery materials thereon for assembly, piercing means on said spike deck located thereon in a predetermined design, and held so their travel with the spike deck will cause said means to pierce the material for facilitating the placement of cotter buttons therethrough, for binding the materials together in predetermined assembly, spool means mountable on the piercing means and encompassing same to facilitate the packing of filling materials thereabout, and leaving a passage therein when said spool means is removed that the placement of the cotter means will be unobstructed, a compression deck on said frame movably disposed thereon and arranged to reciprocate to and from the layout deck for pressing on said assembled materials to form a predetermined shape thereto to be retained by the fastening of the button cotters thereto, mechanisms for operating the movable decks whereby they act on the materials as aforesaid, means for adjustably holding the spikes to provide for the piercing of divers designs in the materials in accordance with the selection made therefor, sleeve means mountable on the compression deck alignable with the layout of the spike design on the spike deck,

operator working thereon to complete the making 1 of said upholstery, said movable section being arranged to take a tilting position that said operator can work thereon in an upright position, thimbles placeable on the spikes for facilitating the entry of the spikes in the sleeve means when the compression and layout decks are brought adjacent each other, needle means for facilitating the placement of the button cotters in the assembly just prior to fastening, mechanisms for causing said tilting and arranged to position the compression deck and layout deck 01f center on another section of the frame supporting it, whereby the tilting may be induced without bringing portions of its structure into interference with portions of the spike deck, said materials including filling conventionally used in upholstery, padding, undercloth and covering for producing a filled-in tufted upholstery, the covering being marked for the piercing means over predetermined spacings sufiicient to allow for said excess of the same when stretched over the filling to provide said depressions during said buttoning.

8. An upholstery machine comprising in combination, a frame, a spike deck movably mounted on said frame, a layout deck mounted on said frame and adapted for the placement of upholstery materials thereon for assembly, piercing means on said spike deck located thereon in a predetermined design, and held so their travel with the spike deck will cause said means to pierce the materials for facilitating the placement of cotter buttons therethrough, for binding the materials together in predetermined assembly, spool means mountable on the piercing means and encompassing same to facilitate to packing of filling materials thereabout, and leaving a passage therein when said spool means is removed that the placement of the cotter means will be unobstructed, a compression deck on said frame movably disposed thereon and arranged to reciprocate to and from the layout deck for pressing on said assembled materials to form a predetermined shape thereto to be retained by the fastening of the button cotters thereto, mechanisms for operatin the movable decks whereby they act on the materials as aforesaid, means for adjustably holding the spikes to provide for the piercing of divers designs in the materials in accordance with the selection made therefor, sleeve means mountable on the compression deck alignable with the layout of the spike design on the spike deck, whereby the spikes will register therein when brought adjacent the assembled materials and enable the sleeve means to press the materials around the spikes into predetermined depressions to form a hollow or curved form to the upholstery and hold same there until the buttons are fastened thereto, said frame being in sections, one being movable on the other while the latter is stationary to facilitate access to the layout deck by the operator working thereon to complete the making of said upholstery, said movable section being arranged to take a tilting position that said operator can work thereon in an upright position, thimbles placeable on the spikes for facilitating the entry of the spikes in the sleeve means when the compression and layout decks are brought adjacent each other, needle means for facilitating the placement of the button cotters in the assembly just prior to fastening, mechanisms for causing said tilting and arranged to position the compression deck and layout deck off center on another section of the frame supporting.v it, whereby the tilting may be induced without bringing portions of its structure into interference with portions of the spike deck, said ing being marked for the piercing means over predetermined spacings sufficient to allow for said excess of the same when stretched over the filling to provide said depressions during said buttoning, said layout deck including slats magnetically held thereto to avoid excessive moving during the use of this deck and the tilting said slats servin as a support for the undercloth.

ALBERT SHIFRIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 661,302 Bernhardt et al Nov. 6, 1900 797,399 Bent Aug. 15, 1905 811,883 Tauber Feb. 6, 1906 1,947,217 Micon Feb. 13, 1934 2,100,844 Foster Nov. 30, 1937 

